Maybe when you think of tequila, you think of craft cocktails, margaritas or even shots. It’s time to rethink everything – and start enjoying tequila as a sipping spirit.
Enter Tequila Casa Dragones, a small-batch independent tequila producer from the finest blue agave plants and known – and loved – for the Blanco and Joven expressions. Founded in 2009 by iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman and Bertha Gonzalez Nieves, the first woman to be a certified Maestra Tequilera, the Joven was released first to much acclaim from tequila aficianados, top sommeliers and renowned chefs for its distinctive taste, aroma and body. Five years later, in 2014, Casa Dragones unveiled the Blanco, an ultra-premium silver tequila.
Located in Mexico’s San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the La Casa Dragones, the brand’s home which was originally the stables of the Dragones Cavalry. The name Casa Dragones is inspired by the legendary Dragones from San Miguel de Allende, an elite cavalry that helped spark Mexico’s Independence. La Casa Dragones, which once housed the stables where the calvary spent much of their time, still stands on a narrow, cobbled street in San Miguel de Allende. Today, it is home to a tequila that defies the ordinary and is a testament to the independent spirit of the Dragones.
So what makes the Casa Dragones Joven and Blanco expressions so special – and so perfect for sipping? They are made using a multiple distillation system with pure spring water originating from the volcano of Tequila in an advanced column process. Steam and water are used to extract a pure, clean liquid from the heart of the agave. The result? A clean, crisp tequila that shines all on its own (no lime needed!) and is batched in hand-engraved glass bottles, using the traditional Mexican technique of “pepita,” meaning “small seed.” Each bottle is then labeled, signed and numbered by hand, hallmarking the characteristics of each specific batch. Talk about serious attention to detail.
Turkey Breast with Onion Ash sauce, made by Executive Chef Sylvain Desbois from St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City
Dubbed the “Tastemakers’ Top Tequila” by Forbes, Casa Dragones Joven is meant for special occasions and culinary pairings, recommended to be enjoyed neat in a Riedel Ouverture tequila glass. It is a result of the Maestro Tequilero finishing the distillation process by hand, blending un-aged silver tequila with the perfect amount of extra aged tequila, rested in American oak barrels for over 5 years, for an exceptionally balanced, complex, smooth taste that is perfect for sipping and pairing with food. This final touch results in 100 percent Blue Agave Joven tequila, one of the five official classifications of tequila, which is defined by this delicate blend of silver and extra añejo.
Chocolate Tart from Pastry Chef Jiho Kim at NYC’s The Modern restaurant
Tequila Casa Dragones Joven has a fresh and inviting, subtle floral and citrus aroma with notes of sweet roasted agave with soft and smooth with hints of vanilla and spiced undertones, balanced with delicate notes of pear. The finish is clean and warm with hints of hazelnut and a bright, open aftertaste.
Sylvain Desbois, Executive chef at the St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City paired Tequila Casa Dragones Joven with Turkey Breast with Onion Ash sauce while Pastry Chef Jiho Kim of NYC’s two-Michelin-star restaurant The Modern recommends Casa Dragones Joven with the Chocolate Tart. Sweet or savory, Casa Dragones Joven is the perfect complement.
Casa Dragones Blanco is a small catch, 100% pure Blue Agave silver tequila, ideal for drinking over an extra large ice cube, garnished with a grapefruit twist. The crisp, smooth taste and fresh, herbaceous notes of grapefruit and apple are highlighted by the citrus twist while the large cube helps to bring out the spirit’s semi-sweet notes of agave and hints of pepper and clove while showcasing the light finish with hints of almonds and a bright aftertaste.
The Blanco expression also works great in elevated craft cocktails including the Silver & Gold at Baccarat Hotel in NYC, made with Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco, fresh pressed ginger, lemon juice, Chrysanthemum tea, Laphroaig Lore whiskey and honey mixed with edible gold dust and the Dragones Velvet created by Jim Meehan at Please Don’t Tell, a blend of Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco, farmer’s market organic pumpkin puree, Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, skim milk, egg white and ground turmeric.
No matter what your sipping style, Tequila Casa Dragones is sure to please.
For more details, visit: www.casadragones.com and follow along at @casadragones.
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